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Chronic bronchitis in children
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Chronic bronchitis in children is a chronic common inflammatory lesion of the bronchi that occurs with repeated exacerbations, at least 3 times in 2 years. In childhood it is usually a manifestation of other chronic lung diseases. As an independent disease is diagnosed with the exclusion of chronic pneumonia, pulmonary and mixed forms of cystic fibrosis, ciliary dyskinesia syndrome and other chronic lung diseases, congenital malformations of the bronchi and lungs.
In the emergence of chronic bronchitis, passive and active smoking, xenobiotics and pollutants, foci of chronic infection are of great importance. Hereditary predisposition is essential.
[Symptoms of chronic bronchitis in children
The most characteristic sign is a prolonged dry cough in the "remission period, wet" during the period of exacerbation. Duration of exacerbation - 2--3 weeks or more. Sputum is mucopurulent, mainly in small amounts, with difficulty coughing. In the lungs hard breathing is heard, common dry and wet medium and large bubbling rales without clear localization. The number of wheezing increases with exacerbation, decreases during remission, but they continue to be heard for several months.
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Criteria for diagnosis of chronic bronchitis
- productive cough with phlegm;
- permanent variegated, wet wheezing in the lungs for several months with 2-3 exacerbations of the disease a year for 2 years.
In the laboratory study of blood in the period of exacerbation - mild leukocytosis, neutrophilia with a shift to the left of the leukocyte formula and an increase in ESR. In the study of the function of external respiration, moderately expressed obstructive disorders are identified.
On radiographs - the pulmonary pattern is strengthened both during the period of exacerbation and during the period of remission. Unlike chronic pneumonia, there are no signs of local pneumosclerosis.
At a bronchoscopy in a period of an exacerbation define catarrhal or catarrhal-purulent widespread endobronchitis without precise localization.
On bronchograms, gross deformations of the bronchial tree are absent.
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How to examine?
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Treatment of chronic bronchitis
In chronic bronchitis, treatment is similar to that of chronic pneumonia.
More information of the treatment
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